Not your typical art museum and that is why it is a Five Star experience. Funky and fun (and poignant) art work by those who are not typically featured in a museum. This strikes me as somewhat similar to the two excellent Kohler Art museums in Wisconsin. Super interesting and thought provoking especially the stories of many of the artists accompanying their work. The main museum building is a work of art itself. The gift shop is a riot. Hands down the best and craziest museum gift store. Thank goodness my friend recommended this stop. Heads up on parking - the meters on the street are way way cheaper then the Rusty Scupper lot across the street. This place is a gem. Don't miss it! read more

I've lived in the Baltimore area for quite some time now and I can't believe I've never been to the American Visionary Art Museum. I mean how can you pass by the mirrored egg or the golden hand and not think to find out what type of dope art is hidden inside. With so many unique pieces to look at I took my time leisurely strolling through the two buildings for the museum. Welcomed by a half naked mannequin with wings floating in the center of the stairs, you can't help but be intrigued to learn more about the artists work. There was so much to take in with every turn. I especially liked the homage to the staples of Baltimore's culture in the second building. And we can't forget about the gift shop that I literally could've spent hours in just rummaging through all the eclectic finds. I'm happy I finally bit the bullet to visit the American Visionary Art Musuem, and I look forward to a return visit to see all the things I missed. read more

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I do not like art museums. I was done with The Louvre after an hour. The Met was nice for like 45 minutes. I stayed at the AVAM for THREE (3) hours & only left because I was starving. I loved every single thing about this museum. The gift shop is fun, yes, but the art displays are all entirely unexpected & featuring mainly artists who are disabled/not professionals. There is art made from metal scraps, a ship built out of toothpicks, sculptures made by patients at a mental health institution. The passages to read about the pieces were delightfully detailed. It felt like ingesting the life story of dozens of strangers who turned to art at their darkest moments. Cannot recommend this museum enough. Also, the staff were so lovely. They genuinely cared about our experience too. read more

American Visionary Art Museum - Gift shop - Art Museums Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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One of my favorite museums in the city! Parking can be hard on the weekends so ride share apps or scootering would be recommended but it is worth it. The exhibits are always well-curated and interesting. Don't forget to check out the tree house out back and the sculpture warehouse. read more

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Wonderful museum with quirky and incredibly unique artwork. Staff is super friendly and helpful. Not too big, so it's very easy to see everything. read more

American Visionary Art Museum - Art Museums Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Unique museum with lots to see at a reasonable admission price. There's two buildings to explore and an outdoor space. The exhibits are well curated and thought-provoking touching on a range of contemporary issues and philosophies. I enjoyed learning about the history of the space as well. read more

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Quirky and inspiring. Grab the interharbor ferry to check it out. Make sure to visit all the out buildings. And participate in the gift shop. It's an experience in itself. read more

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HIGHLY recommend this place to anyone who is looking for a fun museum to walk through. Not only can you appreciate the art, but there's another building you walk through that is interactive ! The main building has 3 floors with a gift shop that was honestly, really exciting to go through. The second building is just a short walk over in which you'll go through a mini garden to get to. It was my favorite part by far. It was only one floor as well. read more

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I've been to this museum a few times and love how much fun it is, but this review is solely for their gift shop. I'm doing some Christmas shopping and thought why not check out their store. I'm so glad I did! They have a wide variety of scarves that's have beautiful patterns and so soft! Not to mention, the pricing was very affordable which is the ultimate bonus! The workers were very attentive and offered me a basket as I was shopping. They also had a great selection of bedazzled/sparkly rings and I had to stop myself from buying everything in sight! There are some unique finds at this gift shop and if you're looking for a great gift or something nice for yourself, definitely stop by. read more

American Visionary Art Museum - Scarf - Art Museums Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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We were hanging out in Baltimore and had some free slots in the day so we saw this and decided to do it and it was a great choice! This museum is awesome and portray some very interesting things! You should definitely check it out if you can. I think there were some very good messages and what we can learn from them. read more

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What a cool museum!!! I am not one to go to just any museum, but reading about this one and seeing photos ahead of time sold me. The ticket was affordable, and the exhibits were really fun and beautiful. What a neat space--it is actually two buildings with some outdoor plaza space as well. There were some quirky or eccentric pieces, which was right up my alley, but the museum also shared voices and pieces that aren't always heard or seen in museums, and I really appreciated that. The flatulence post didn't seem to be working (it wouldn't make sounds) when I visited, but that was still a funny space. I'm definitely happy I visited! read more

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Took a spree of the day to Baltimore with no set plans. Googled museums in the area and this museum came up. Spent a bit over $30 for two adult tickets. We spent about three hours to see all the floors and an additional building across the courtyard. We thoroughly enjoyed it all! The gift shop had lots of strange, interesting, and unique items. I purchased an art book from one of my favorite artists! The courtyard also has beautiful art and gardens. Both buildings also have very artistic facades. AVAM made out day trip a treat! Metered parking, on the street, was amble on a Friday morning. There is a restaurant on the top floor but wasn't open when we were there. The gift shop does carry a small selection of snacks. read more

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Folk art is one of my favorite types of art. I can't explain it exactly . . . I'm a southern girl who landed in New York . . . but something about taking simple, basic, almost raw elements and making them into something great. Bits of wood, metal. Weird sparkly pieces of glass or mirrors. Self-taught, edgy, colorful . . . a new perspective. I loved this museum. I knew I would love it before I ever went . . . as I've consumed folk art for a long time. And apparently this is one of the meccas for this type of art! Staff was helpful and friendly. Admission was reasonable at 15.95. There were four total levels PLUS a larger space with bigger works a couple of doors down. I loved the dark, yet sparkling Icarus, flying in the middle of the staircase. The exhibits this time focused on sports, Jewish persecution, and a Down's syndrome artist working with string. They also have a very impressive permanent collection! A folk artist/farmer stated, "I had a lotta junk and I had to do something with it." This is probably why I love this type of art so much . . . they make beauty out of what others consider trash or "junk." Love this place. And I'm making a new listing for the gift shop, which is AMAZING! Can't believe it isn't on Yelp! already. read more

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Fabulous collection of visionary art in Baltimore, MD. Heaps of kinetic works, many of which operate on command. Plus what John Waters termed the world's best museum gift shop (and I BELIEVE!). Definitely a cure for the "my 6-year old could do that" crowd. They'd not have the persistence! read more

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This is an amazing museum with lots to see! It does cost, but it is worth every penny. There are two buildings of cool art to view from self taught artist. This is a place to take yourself and or the family. read more

The American Visionary Art Museum offers many contemporary artwork created that you wouldn't find at a traditional art museum. Stripped away famous classic artists, these local artists feature colorful, detailed artwork that fills two buildings. I highly recommend you check it the wing for the hot air balloon and larger than life pink dogs exhibit. read more

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Baltimore's American Visionary Art Museum is fantastic. It's not huge but there are three buildings and a lot to see within each. Even approaching from the outside, you can tell this is going to be fun, thanks to mosaic walls and mobile art. The exhibits I saw were thoughtful and unique, with a focus on diverse communities and alternative art. This museum charges you to reflect on what is considered art, but does so without pressure. I love museums but I'm not one to spend a lot of time in them. Here, I stayed and reflected for a while. It's an awesome museum and I highly recommend. read more

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We loved this museum! The museum was by far one of the coolest we have ever seen locally. We were visiting Baltimore and enjoying the city and this museum was icing on the cake for us. Not to mention ton there's a beautiful park right outside that overlooks the entire city of you simply walk straight up mountain when you leave. It's incredible and well thought out in each room. We definitely recommend this place. read more

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I think I picked the wrong day, because they had a floor closed to install an exhibit, and a lot of their other spaces were taken up due to some big private event. But I still wanted to see it and they still wanted to charge me full admission, so here we are. The amount of art actually on display held my attention for less than an hour. Their gift shop was intriguing, with a lot of weird vintage stuff and cheap gag items that are likely to entertain any small children (among others). But when the gift shop is the highlight, things are not going great. A few other interesting pieces were on display, but not enough to really be worthwhile. The architecture of the buildings held some intrigue, and my guess is that if more things were open it would be a better experience. Additionally, they were in full mask mode, with some degree of added snark. While I'm not speaking in my professional capacity, at the time I'm writing, this was not common practice and it's not a good look for them either. The whole vibe of promoting independent, creative behavior is quite at odds with mandatory facelessness. If there's someone there who thinks they're somehow practicing public health, they are mistaken. Don't quit your day job, guys. You're an art museum. Focus on doing that better. read more

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A great place to spend a rainy afternoon. We spent Veteran's Day walking around the museum and street parking was free for the holiday. There are two buildings. Make sure you go into the main building first to get your tickets before you go into the building with the bird's nest. They are famous for their eclectic gift shop which is worth a visit on its own. Don't sleep on the second building! This was my favorite part. You can easily spend two plus hours in the whole place. Give you self time and check out the elevators and the basement! read more

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What an amazing experience at the visionary museum. Great for a date with some quirky and unique artwork, had an amazing time. read more

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Loved it. So many different artists and mediums. Learned a ton. And the big ball of bras!! The gift shop is something special, too. read more

American Visionary Art Museum - Art Museums Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

I loved this museum! It was not crowded, which is a plus to me, but more people should visit this place. At least people that are open minded and can appreciate a wide array of art - nothing traditional here! The gift shop is also amazing - I think we spent 30 minutes there before leaving the museum. read more

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Had an amazing time here! Attended a work event and had the pleasure of taking a tour and enjoying the artwork while I was there. Service was fantastic and every person at the museum was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. Valet parking was complimentary and the location was very easy to find. The Amercican Visionary Art Museum is known for the fun art created by individuals using standard media resources to express their ideas about various things that surround us. This museum is really popular for the event space. The artwork was stunning and I saw some decorated screens that really reminded me of what I consider old Baltimore from my childhood days. I will definitely visit again and had a wonderful time. It's only a short walk to Federal Hill or the Inner Harbor. read more

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Quirky, engaging, perfect for the whole family, we enjoyed visiting the American Visionary Art Museum. Tickets cost $16 per adult and our five-year-old was free (kids six and under are free). Easily ordering tickets online the night before, we went at 11 a.m. on a January Sunday. Once we entered, a kind woman behind the counter walked us through how to navigate the museum. The main museum building has four levels of exhibits with inspiring quotes around every corner. On one floor, we read a story about a girl who escaped the Nazis in Poland during World Wat II and our four-year-old daughter was engaged the entire time. Of course, we had some good laughs too. The fart machine next to the basement bathrooms is hilarious! Spend some time on the ground floor's store! It's filled with so many wonders from trinkets to crafts to dolls to books. We spent almost an hour just browsing! The museum store manager even gave our daughter a free ring! Before you leave, spend time in the two other buildings and the sculpture gardens outside each. We parked for cheap on the street nearby and explored nearby Federal Hill Park, a park with a beautiful view of the harbor. read more

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This place is definitely not for everyone. I loved it though because the art was really unique and there were a lot of great quotes that really spoke to me. My friend who lives in the area recommended it and came with us along with one of my friends who is blind so we were had fun taking turns describing some of the images to her. They had everything from intense to dark to healing this time around. The great thing about this museum is that it is do-able in a day. My favorite exhibit was a black and white exhibit that showed meditation images and a boat made out of toothpicks. It's four floors! It's about $15.95 for an adult ticket. There were a few images that reminded me of the artwork of some bands that I follow so that was great for me! A few of the exhibits both my friend and I had difficulty explaining to her. The gift shop is the best part. It's really affordable. I ended up picking up candies that are known in this area in particular. Check it out if you're looking for something unique to see in Charm City. read more

This museum is definitely something to visit in Baltimore. The art is beautiful. They have art in two buildings, and outside sculptures. The building itself is beautiful outside. They have a cafe inside it was closed, because of Covid. There also is a great gift shop, with lots of interesting things. If you in Baltimore you have to visit! read more

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Absolutely amazing museum, one of the best I've ever been to, in the U.S. and Europe. "Visionary art as defined for the purposes of the American Visionary Art Museum refers to art produced by self-taught individuals, usually without formal training, whose works arise from an innate personal vision that revels foremost in the creative act itself" usually using found objects. read more

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Okay, so we didn't actually go to the museum, just the giftshop, which is an option if you don't feel like strolling the halls. The shop is called, SIDESHOW, and it's like a flea market you would find in a Quentin Tarantino or John Waters' movie complete with art prints of Divine for sale. There's also a Zoltar on site if you want to know your fortune. This was such a fun place to explore, almost like a mini museum of its own with gag gifts from the 50's and an entire box of N'Sync postcards. There was a wooden card catalog file with different, $.25 treasures hidden in each box. The wares are a collection of imported, vintage, and handmade goods that were all incredibly well-priced. I got a pair of amazing, strawberry-beaded earrings for under $20, and my son bought a book that was half off cover price. If the gift shop is any indication of what the museum has to offer, we're definitely going back to explore when we have more time in the city. But if, like us, you only have a half hour to spare, stop by Sideshow. You will not regret it. read more

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I've been quite excited to visit this museum after driving by the outside sculptures. Went on a weekday and there may have been 15-20 of us, total, in the main building. While I wasn't sure what to expect, I was a little disappointed. Don't get me wrong, lots of the pieces were awesome and intriguing. Also, the eclectic store inside the first building was full of relics and wonderment. You can easily spend an hour in that store alone. However, I did the first two buildings in less than 1.5 hours and was a underwhelmed. I was expecting more exhibits and less offices. At least I can scratch it off my list. read more

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OMG OMG OMG!!! I Looooooooooooved this museum!!!! I cant even describe the excitement that ran through my body as I explored the work of these visual artistic geniuses. I love abstract art but this took creativity to an entirely different spectrum! The stories told through art gives each piece sooooo much meaning. That's what I love about art; the ability to tell your story in a way that enlightens and inspires others!!!! So happy I was able to visit, ALL SMILES! read more

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We love the American Visionary Art Museum! It's a treasure to have in Baltimore. The funky uniqueness is a perfect fit for Charm City. What we don't like is the stupid website that outright lies. We like to show up with out of town friends when we feel the need to visit. The out of date website ( screen shot included) claims you can't do the spontaneous thing, that's a lie! On our cumbersome visit, we waited in a line behind seven guests without tickets, who were all allowed to purchase tix on site. We cued up, hours after a inspiration hit, to be greeted same as anyone who was lucky enough to not visit the AVAM website. Are you like me and don't care to share all your personal data on the internet? Well don't follow the rules on the stupid, out of date AVAM website, which will require all your data, boo. read more

American Visionary Art Museum - Live shot of the incorrect AVAM website. - Art Museums Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Okay so I had a particularly bad experience which I am expressing but this is a beautiful building, at least go see the outside for free. I never like when art museums aren't free to the public - cost is $10 per person (walter art museum in baltimore is so go there). The inside had some cool modern and contemporary art, from the limited space I saw. They do NOT have a map so keep that in mind, you might want to go with a local. We went on a Saturday around 1pm (closes at 5pm) so we should have had plenty of time. But because there was no map and the staff was not interested in giving us directions we got turned around and basically forced to take an exit. We were embarrassed to go back in afterwards. The security guard was really rude to us which was a part of the confusion and embarrassment. If you go just be confident to ask for help or do some research before showing up. read more

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Check out the attached pix to see my honey and the bronze rash thinker contemplating Fort Sumter, the inspiration for the Star Spangled Banner which would uhhh be our national anthem (for some reason . . . since a) we lost that war against Britain; and b) it had nothing to do with the revolution or the founding of the country). But what do I know? So you ask what do I know? Well I do know that the AVAM is one of my favorite museums in the world and I think it has the neatest museum gift shop any/every-where. Sign me, David "Turismo" M read more

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I came back, wanted to spend a good amount of time here as I'd heard great things about this museum. It was actually pretty interesting, loved all the art brut displays, the stairs, the variety of art put together by non-traditional artists. I was blown away by the Esther Krinitz exhibition and the way it's presented. The video in the room helped put her survival story in context, and her embroidered works made it so very real. My only complaint, management please train your workers to be more polite, professional and inviting. Start by getting them off their phones. I came in the main door and purchased my ticket. I then went up the little ramp headed to the gift shop. As I went by I showed my ticket to the girl worker. Her only reaction was a thumbs up. Weird, but that's all fine. About 20 minutes later I was on the same floor close to the main exit to the building. The worker singled me out, asked me if I had just come in through that door. She said, "I heard the back door close, did you just come in the back door?" Uhm, really AVAM? It was weird. The girl kept following me with her sight as I was trying to enjoy the museum. A little later she had the audacity to ask me if I had my ticket with me. Unfortunately, the thug-like ambiance puts a damp on the greatness of the museum. Needless to say I had seen this worker on her cell phone texting the entire rest of the time. So, even as I walked in right by her initially, and after she gave me the thumbs up when I arrived upon showing her my ticket, she was so lost and confused that she didn't even recognize me as I walked through the exhibitions. I was flirting with the idea of buying a year pass as I live walking distance. After that I was completely turned off. Glad I came and saw, no need for me to be back. read more

If you're looking for *different,* this is the place to be. They have a lot of "outsider art," meaning art done by people with mental disorders like schizophrenia, as well as a lot of pro-ecology artists. They're extremely left-leaning, even for me, which is just something to be aware of. Note: Backpacks are not allowed inside the museum. read more

This super quirky & interesting art museum has been recognized by Congress as America's national museum for self-taught art. AVAM features the art of normal, untrained artists or "outsiders". I've driven past this museum for years but have never stopped to look at it more closely. I'm so glad I was able to spend some time admiring the interesting "Bling Universe" art pieces outside this museum. I can't wait to check out "The Secret Life of Earth" exhibit inside! Check out some of the cool art I found outside this museum. read more

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Came here for an event given by the National Kidney Foundation (thanks Isaiah,Yelp Baltimore CM!) I brought my sis as my guest, as she is on the kidney recipient list and she deserved a night on the town given all she has been through over the last year. We parked on Key Hwy, which was a stone's throw from the museum (be aware, you can't park there until AFTER 6:30pm and it is paid parking via a parking machine (debit, credit or cash-coins excepted). We were greeted by the event's pleasant staff and took the elevator to the 3rd floor, where the event took place. It was a wonderful event! We couldn't leave without touring this unusual and eclectic museum. The exhibits were not run of the mill by a long shot. They were quirky, flashy, flamboyant and down right interesting. I enjoyed them all. All in all, as I stated, the event was wonderful and the museum tour was a one of a kind experience. A must for those looking for a museum that is exciting and different! read more

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We took a friend and became patrons. Part of the museum was closed but we enjoyed the rest of it. The gift shop is pretty amazing. My favorite part is the sculpture park outside of the museum. read more

I've visited this museum a few times over the years and I always enjoy it. I love the uniqueness of the artwork and the creativity of the artists. The last time I visited was in October or November I believe. I really thought it was interesting how in some of the exhibits the artists used their work to tell the history of their people. I would suggest going to the museum with several hours to devote because there can be alot of reading with some of the exhibits if you really want to take away what the artist is trying to share. There are several spots nearby the museum on the street the runs alongside federal hill and the museum. Those spots are pay to park. read more